SETsquared puts Exeter Uni students ahead of the game

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 02/08/2013 - 11:55am

A leading UK partnership brought together scores of students this week, including those from the University of Exeter, in a bid to arm them with the skills they need to set up their own business or climb the corporate ladder.

SETsquared, a collaboration between the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey, runs a wide programme of enterprise education events for students and says it is vital that the next generation of entrepreneurs are nurtured.

It adds that in an ever-more competitive graduate marketplace, employers are looking for competency-based...

Challenging sewer repair completed successfully

Work to repair a collapsed sewer close to a buried medieval bridge in Exeter has finished today (Friday 8 February 2013).

A section of the 300mm pipe beneath Holloway Street collapsed in January but the repair was complicated by its proximity to the Larkbeare Bridge, a scheduled ancient monument, which lies 2.4 metres beneath the road.

South West Water and its contractors May Gurney worked closely with Devon County Council, which maintains the bridge, and English Heritage, which fast-tracked the required permissions so work could start straight away.

Specialist...

Junction 29 closures beginning Monday 11th February

Overnight closures are planned next week on the A30 westbound from Daisymount Junction to the junction of the A30/C832 near M5 Junction 29.

The closures will be over three consecutive nights on Wednesday 13th, Thursday 14th and Friday 15th February from 8pm to 6am to enable overhead gantry signs to be replaced over the westbound A30.

This work was previously postponed due to adverse weather.

During the closure of the A30 westbound, the A30 Daisymount Junction westbound on-slip will also be closed as well as the Airport Junction westbound on slip.

Diversions...

Olly Murs to perform at Powderham Castle in July

Olly Murs has announced he is set to perform a massive outdoor concert in Exeter this summer, playing at Powderham Castle on Sunday, 7th July.

Have a musical Museum Valentine's to remember

The young and young at heart are in for a memorable night at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) and the Cavern Club on Friday 15th February when the nine-piece band Smerin’s Anti-Social Club will be performing.

The Valentines’ ball will feature ElectroSwing music and have a 1920s theme. The 6.30-10pm session at RAMM is suitable for all ages but only over 18s can go on to the Cavern Club from 10pm to 2am. Novice dancers are welcome as there’ll be swing dancing lessons in RAMM’s central courtyard.

It will be a smart occasion with DJs playing ElectroSwing music as...

Findus beef lasagne products found with horse meat

As part of its ongoing investigation into mislabelled meat, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed that the meat content of beef lasagne products recalled by Findus has tested positive for more than 60% horse meat.

Findus withdrew the beef lasagne products after its French supplier, Comigel, raised concerns about the type of meat used in the lasagne.

The FSA has said "We have no evidence to suggest that this is a food safety risk. However, the FSA has ordered Findus to test the lasagne for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone, or 'bute'. Animals treated with...

Appenticeship starts up 13.5 per cent in Devon

New figures reveal there were 7,830 Apprenticeship starts in Devon during the academic year 2011/12 – representing growth of 13.5 per cent from the previous year. Indeed, Devon registered the highest number of Apprenticeship starts in the South West region, with starts in the county accounting for 14 per cent of the 55,950 total.

There is a similar positive picture across the country, with Apprenticeship starts in England for 2011/12 topping the half million mark. This is an overall increase of 13.9 per cent on the preceding year.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “...

Word of warning to thatched cottage owners

In the early hours of this morning a couple lost their home to fire. The property was a thatched cottage in North Devon. Maxine Wilcox, 68, was awoken by her cat at about 4.00am when she noticed that their thatched roof was alight. The couple immediately left the property and called Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

Mr and Mrs Wilcox waited outside while firefighters tackled the blaze and salvaged as much of their belongings as they could. A total of 15 fire appliances attended the incident.

The roof was completely destroyed by fire, with the first floor being...

Special assembly for church schools at the Cathedral

Church schools from across the county celebrated a giant assembly in Exeter Cathedral today.

The Church Schools Cathedral Service takes place once a year, although this is the first year the children have lead the worship.

Over 500 people from 24 schools attended the service for which Church of England school children played samba, prayed and role-played on the theme of Candlemas.

Afterwards, the children visited the Cathedral and enjoyed lunch in the Chapterhouse and North Transcept.

Traditionally Candlemas marks the end of the Epiphany. Candles used in...

"Lungs of the planet" reveal sensitivity to global warming

Tropical rainforests are often called the “lungs of the planet” because they generally draw in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. But the amount of carbon dioxide that rainforests absorb, or produce, varies hugely with year-to-year variations in the climate. In a paper published online this week (6th Feb 2013) by the journal Nature , a team of climate scientists from the University of Exeter, the Met Office-Hadley Centre and the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, has shown that these variations reveal how vulnerable the rainforest is to climate change.

Lead author...

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